Managed by the same manager as the Charlatans and formally known as Sussed back in the day the rumour mill is working its way around Manchester If rumours over the past month are to believed then the Rain Band are in the money after signing a deal with Island Records. Of course it could all be part of the hype machine and the myth, but tonight on a very appropriately rainy Tuesday night it was our duty to go and check our Manchester brothers.

Its only the bands fourth gig and what were seeing is the raw and unadulterated version of the Rain Band, but with a frontman to match the swagger of Gallagher, Brown and Ryder he at least has the confidence to shrug off any pre gig nerves.  The Rain Band are essentially what we've been hearing out of Manchester for the past 13 years - a collision of dance beats with trippy guitar psychedelia - which is no bad thing. No doubt give them six months when they've been locked in a studio down South for six months and the raw edgy sound will be polished away with classy production.

If nothing new. Its nothing revolutionary. But its rock & roll and after 2 years of this dreaded Nu-Acoustic scene up here in Manchester its what we need desperately. The Rain Band are the sort of characters that with time will evolve into bigger than life cartoon "mad for it" Mancs, but its all good!!!!

Alex McCann